It's been a while, so let me summarize the Veronica updates.
The Good:
She loves pointing out where Mommy, Daddy, and kitty are. So tonight Jason asked "Where's Veronica? Show me Veronica." So she ran over to the oven and pointed at her reflection on the door. Then she started making faces and dancing before it. It was funny and wonderfully clever.
She recently slept on a futon chair at our friends Brandon and Amanda's house. This means she can sleep, at least for a short time, on a "big-girl bed." This is promising. I'm wanting to get her a toddler bed in addition to her crib and eventually get her switched over. Given her fascination with the potty, it will be great for when she finally understands what it's for.
The Bad:
Her latest phrase to be used more often than I'd like: "Mommy! Come here!" No reason, just wants me there. I know someday she'll want to pretend she has no mom and hatched from an egg or something, so I should be savoring every summons from her. But it does get a little old when I've just sat down or started a project and hear it for the umpteenth time in an hour.
And she is willful and easily frustrated. Either this is inherited or something in her upbringing thus far is woefully similar to mine, as I was apparently this strong-willed and strong-tempered as a toddler too.
The Inexplicable:
She's an art fanatic, to the point where I actually looked up OCD online to see how young you could diagnose it. Apparently the following behavior is normal for a toddler, at least according to BabyCenter.com. It's kind of hard to explain, but here goes:
At any given point, she will ask for a crayon. When she does this, she already has in mind which coloring book she wants (Dora, Spongebob, Winnie the Pooh, etc.) or plain paper, and where she wants to color (high chair, writing desk, floor). (Plain paper means "plain paper" too, sometimes if it has any print on it, she will just throw it away.) She asks for "big crayon", as the standard Crayolas don't cut it for her (unless she's at a restaurant, using the complimentary crayons there.) And she doesn't want just ANY crayon. I'll get out one and name it - "How about blue?" - and she'll regard it for a moment, say "no, no boo" and hand it back. This will go on until she finds a hue she is happy with. This could be another blue crayon, btw, of a different size or brand and a slightly different coloration. And I'm not talking blue-green or anything either. I'm talking standard blue.
She will then draw with said selection. If the paper is blank, she will scribble for a moment, flip over the paper, draw some curly-ques, and then toss the paper onto the floor. It is finished. No more can be done to this paper. If it's a coloring book, she names as many things as she can identify ("Dora. Backpack. Pooh? Bum-bob. Bum-bob friend, Pat." You get the idea.) Then she colors over each body part she can identify and names them ("eye, ear, nose, feet…") Sometimes she asks me to draw a kitty cat and points to where said cat should be placed. I draw a little cartoon cat in the indicated spot, and then she repeats the process ("eye, ears, nose….", same order every time.) I have drawn so many of these little cats that I can almost do it with my eyes closed (I know, I tried). Then she decides she is finished with this particular crayon or coloring book, and we start the process all over again.
This can go on for the better part of an hour.
You have to watch her too, because anything can be a canvas. The floor, the walls, her high chair tray, her desk, the cabinets, the refrigerator, her own face, even a white shirt she was wearing once - if you turn your back, and she has set her mind to it, she will try to draw on it. She looks so studious when she draws, too. And if you withhold crayons for her for any reason, or take them away, watch out; the world has not seen the likes of a Veronica tantrum when her art supplies are taken away. At least when a crayon is broken, she usually walks over to the trash can to dispose of it herself.
It's just so odd to me because she's so single-minded when she does this. She has other toys, other interests, but this is the prevailing one. I like the fact she has such an interest, but it's a bit disconcerting to see someone so young be so enthralled and driven by one thing. She's not even two yet! Do all kids go through a phase like this, at least at this age? The websites only said repetition was normal. This is something a little more, so I'm not worried so much as scratching my head and saying "huh" a lot.
Right now she's refusing to go to sleep and getting into battles with Pita over occupation of the baby Barcalounger. I need to get going and try to wrestle her into bed. She's a hoot but she's also a bit exhausting, so don't be surprised if the next post takes this long.
The Good:
She loves pointing out where Mommy, Daddy, and kitty are. So tonight Jason asked "Where's Veronica? Show me Veronica." So she ran over to the oven and pointed at her reflection on the door. Then she started making faces and dancing before it. It was funny and wonderfully clever.
She recently slept on a futon chair at our friends Brandon and Amanda's house. This means she can sleep, at least for a short time, on a "big-girl bed." This is promising. I'm wanting to get her a toddler bed in addition to her crib and eventually get her switched over. Given her fascination with the potty, it will be great for when she finally understands what it's for.
The Bad:
Her latest phrase to be used more often than I'd like: "Mommy! Come here!" No reason, just wants me there. I know someday she'll want to pretend she has no mom and hatched from an egg or something, so I should be savoring every summons from her. But it does get a little old when I've just sat down or started a project and hear it for the umpteenth time in an hour.
And she is willful and easily frustrated. Either this is inherited or something in her upbringing thus far is woefully similar to mine, as I was apparently this strong-willed and strong-tempered as a toddler too.
The Inexplicable:
She's an art fanatic, to the point where I actually looked up OCD online to see how young you could diagnose it. Apparently the following behavior is normal for a toddler, at least according to BabyCenter.com. It's kind of hard to explain, but here goes:
At any given point, she will ask for a crayon. When she does this, she already has in mind which coloring book she wants (Dora, Spongebob, Winnie the Pooh, etc.) or plain paper, and where she wants to color (high chair, writing desk, floor). (Plain paper means "plain paper" too, sometimes if it has any print on it, she will just throw it away.) She asks for "big crayon", as the standard Crayolas don't cut it for her (unless she's at a restaurant, using the complimentary crayons there.) And she doesn't want just ANY crayon. I'll get out one and name it - "How about blue?" - and she'll regard it for a moment, say "no, no boo" and hand it back. This will go on until she finds a hue she is happy with. This could be another blue crayon, btw, of a different size or brand and a slightly different coloration. And I'm not talking blue-green or anything either. I'm talking standard blue.
She will then draw with said selection. If the paper is blank, she will scribble for a moment, flip over the paper, draw some curly-ques, and then toss the paper onto the floor. It is finished. No more can be done to this paper. If it's a coloring book, she names as many things as she can identify ("Dora. Backpack. Pooh? Bum-bob. Bum-bob friend, Pat." You get the idea.) Then she colors over each body part she can identify and names them ("eye, ear, nose, feet…") Sometimes she asks me to draw a kitty cat and points to where said cat should be placed. I draw a little cartoon cat in the indicated spot, and then she repeats the process ("eye, ears, nose….", same order every time.) I have drawn so many of these little cats that I can almost do it with my eyes closed (I know, I tried). Then she decides she is finished with this particular crayon or coloring book, and we start the process all over again.
This can go on for the better part of an hour.
You have to watch her too, because anything can be a canvas. The floor, the walls, her high chair tray, her desk, the cabinets, the refrigerator, her own face, even a white shirt she was wearing once - if you turn your back, and she has set her mind to it, she will try to draw on it. She looks so studious when she draws, too. And if you withhold crayons for her for any reason, or take them away, watch out; the world has not seen the likes of a Veronica tantrum when her art supplies are taken away. At least when a crayon is broken, she usually walks over to the trash can to dispose of it herself.
It's just so odd to me because she's so single-minded when she does this. She has other toys, other interests, but this is the prevailing one. I like the fact she has such an interest, but it's a bit disconcerting to see someone so young be so enthralled and driven by one thing. She's not even two yet! Do all kids go through a phase like this, at least at this age? The websites only said repetition was normal. This is something a little more, so I'm not worried so much as scratching my head and saying "huh" a lot.
Right now she's refusing to go to sleep and getting into battles with Pita over occupation of the baby Barcalounger. I need to get going and try to wrestle her into bed. She's a hoot but she's also a bit exhausting, so don't be surprised if the next post takes this long.
posted by Maranie @ 9:49 PM
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